Writers Roundtable: How Many All Stars?

Which Phillie(s) should make the National League All-Star team? How would you feel about Domonic Brown potentially participating in the 2013 Home Run Derby? And lastly, do you have any problem with the Phillies organization asking fans to vote for ALL of the team’s position players, or with fans that vote only for Phillies players?

Eric Seidman:Cliff Lee and Domonic Brown should make the All-Star team from the Phillies, with Jonathan Papelbon being a potential selection as well, as the game means something and there are few closers better. A pitching staff with Chapman, Kimbrel and Pap at the back end would be awfully intimidating. I would have no issue with Brown participating in the home run derby, as my own studies have shown that there is no such thing as ‘the home run derby effect’. Though many Phillies fans will swear that the HRD messed up Bobby Abreu‘s swing, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the derby really impacts player performance moving forward. My personal take on voting is to vote for whoever you want, with the current understanding that if the Phillies somehow made it to the World Series, the All Star Team would be better suited to provide home field advantage if other team’s players were on it.

Ian Riccaboni: There are three no-brainers and one fringe candidate right now, which is kind of strange for a team under .500 but speaks to how top-heavy the talent is. Cliff Lee is a true Cy Young candidate and should absolutely be in the All-Star game, as should closer Jonathan Papelbon. Dom Brown, the NL leader in HR, should be in the game as well. Finally, Kyle Kendrick is on the periphery but likely doesn’t get in. He’s 19th in ERA and 29th in FIP in the NL so he should be in the mix but ultimately shouldn’t get in.

Pat Gallen: I wonder if the Phillies record will keep them from sending more than one. As we know, Domonic Brown, Cliff Lee, and Jonathan Papelbon all deserve it. You could even make the case for Kyle Kendrick. But with a dearth of solid pitching in the NL, Pap and KK could be looking from the outside in. It could be three, but don’t be surprised if two, or even one Phillie, makes it. And think about if Chase Utleyhadn’t gotten hurt. He may have been in the conversation, too.

Jay Floyd: I definitely think Domonic Brown should be an All-Star. If only one guy represents the Phillies this year, it should be him, although Jonathan Papelbon and Cliff Lee have each posted worthy statistics as well.

Brown in the All-Star Home Run Derby could potentially be the most exciting thing about the three days of events there in New York for Phillies fans, as Papelbon or Lee facing American League opponents for one, two or three outs could go by in the blink of an eye and Brown making the team as a reserve might only result in one plate appearance in the Mid-summer Classic that would also fly by in a flash. Steady focus in the Derby on one of the game’s emerging sluggers, despite any concern of negative impact on his swing after the contest, would almost certainly be the most enjoyable part of the All-Star events for Phillie fans.

Kenny Ayres: Domonic Brown and Cliff Lee have to be shoe-ins for the All-Star Game. Obviously there is a slim chance Brown will make it as a starter because he only just burst onto the national scene and the starting vote comes from fans, but as long as he doesn’t fall off the face of the earth in the next month he will be a manager selection. Lee is Lee, and has been just about the best pitcher in baseball since last August. Enough said. I could also see Papelbon and Kendrick having shots at making the team, but if Lee and Brown go I think it would come down to replacements for injuries and such for Kendrick and Papelbon to make it. I would love to see Brown in the home run derby this year. We’ve seen first hand from Ryan Howard in 2006 and 2007 that it doesn’t hurt our swing, and Brown is one of those guys like Justin Upton and Giancarlo Stanton who is the perfect strong, majestic home run hitter for the derby. As for All-Star balloting, I think the best players in the first half at each position should start, and that it should not come down to who is more popular with the fans. What does it say when you have a .200 hitter like Dan Uggla starting an All-Star Game?

Alex Lee: Domonic Brown and Cliff Lee are the obvious selections here, and both are definitely deserving of the honor. Jonathan Papelbon is one of a number of closers who have the stats to make the cut, but with the Phillies below .500, I can’t see him being selected. I am all for Dom participating in the HR Derby. His emergence probably makes him the face of the next era of Phillies baseball. Why not let the nation meet him? As for the voting, I say fans should vote for whoever they want. It’s their commitment (and money) that stuffs the ballot boxes at the games and online.

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15 Comments

Ken Bland

June 12, 2013 at 1:59 pm

To suggest Kyle Kendrick is a candidate in any way is typical of what goes on in many, many places, if not everywhere. He has had a good year, and done most everything he’s been asked to. No intelligent mind would complain about him. But people speaking realistiically of a guy like his chances are ignoring the usually wide selection of candidates to choose the latter picks from. Plus, icing on the cake wise, this is a scarce good year for him so fa so nobody is knocking his door down anxious to make up for past injustices. Maybe the implication of those mentioning him were based on about a 10% chance. I’d put it at 0%, and anyone thinking that’s a knock on the guy is flat out wrong.

I’d put Cliff at about 90%.

Dom needs to finish the determination period in okay form, which should happen. He’s done wonderfully, but still hasn’t achieved quite lock status. I expect he’ll do just that, particularly since it’s not a super high bar which he’s leaped over so far. I’d like to see him play well in the game, not make a foolish play like Bryce did last year that took away from his basically deserving honor, though it wasn’t indisputable.

My problem with all star selections is the people who vote the Ugglas of the world onto the team. To me, only true fans, knowlegeable people who actually follow the sport, should be the only ones allowed to vote. The bozos that are such homers they’ll vote their own players onto the team despite the fact they can’t field and can’t hit should be taken out and shot.

As far as Phils go, I’d say Lee for sure. Others, like Papelbon and Brown, maybe.

And Pat, please look up the word “dearth.” If there’s a dearth of solid NL pitching, Kendrick would make the team easily.

Rant all you want, it won’t help. You’ve been ranting here for 5 years, has it helped yet? Do ya’ really think anyone in this organization cares what fans on blogs say?
There are what, 50 Phillies sites? And they’re going to pay attention to us? Come on.

The Braves suck, they’ve now lost three in a row. It amazes me that the Phils could play this bad in all phases, and the Braves haven’t gained but a game on us in 8 weeks. I wonder if a division has ever been won by a sub .500 team. Because this one may be “the one” Neo, go ask the oracle.

I’d have to look it up, but I believe the Angels once took a division with a .500 record, or maybe 1 game over that. I don’t think there have been any sub-.500 winners, though.

This could be the year; there isn’t a lot of great baseball being played this season. I’m beginning to think that money has a lot to do with that. Teams can only pay the huge amounts demanded to a few really good players and have to fill the rest of their rosters with garbage. One Cy Young winner, or one positional MVP can’t make up for four dead arms and eight dead bats.

That’s an interesting theory, George, but a) it shouldn’t in itself change the overall level of talent (and therefore the quality of baseball being played), and b) unless it somehow causes more parity, it shouldn’t mean it’s more likely that a .500 team wins a division. But maybe you mean it’s an issue in the NL East in particular, rather than across MLB.

Thanks for the invite to do an AFW rant. Man’s got to know his limitations. If I were writing your bio, I’d call it “There is None Other.”

So I’ll simply cast my lot on a maybe wild, maybe not so wild prediction from as deep in left field as it’s ever got.

Few months ago, Schilling was describing his career, or Phillie career on a topic that included that point in time. In describing the ineptitude of the club, he pointed out that RAJ was the cleanup hitter. It was a point of reference, but did he really have to mention the name to convictionally describe the catastrophe of early century Phillies baseball? I couldn’t help but think of how a lot of former Phils, and at this point, I’m quite sure present Phils have somewhere between disdain and comic relief for Rube. Schilling, in a more neutral sense since he moved on to other associations, but no doubt has some Philly left in his heart.

It’s my guess that when he returns here for Alum Weekend, and gains the spotlight he so thrives on, he will parlay that to if not openly, eagerly campaign for Ruben’s gig. We may or may not ever hear about it, but it just seems so Curt, and ESPECIALLY since he took such a trip south financially. Now whether or not he SHOULD get it may be another story. There are positives and negatives to it, to be sure. But I am not surprised if his campaign for it reaches a point of obsession.

Suckfest is mild. Because this is a family oriented site the true words of description cannot be used. However, the more losses that pile up the more starkly highlighted is RAJ’s complete and utter failure. P.S. Please put Howard on the DL it very well might be as painful for him to play as it is for us to watch him.

And what other lineup and bullpen is he supposed to use? He’s played a bit with both, but there are limits to what he can do when no one gets on base, no one hits for power, no one palys outfield worth snot, and no one in that ‘pen can hold a lead. He could maybe move Brown to cleanup, but with no one on base, he’s be getting about as many RBI opportunities as home run opportunities. He’s tried a number of people at leadoff, including M.Young, who has so far actually gotten on base. Rollins, who you love to pick on, is now batting third, and the only reason why Revere isn’t at the bottom of the order is because there are others, like catchers and second basemen, who have to play and are so much worse than Revere. It takes both hands to number the guys who have been brought in to preserve leads, and it takes both hands to count the guys who haven’t done that.

My guess is Lee will keep it close for 7-8 maybe 9 innings and then the bullpen if given the opportunity will blow it… Galvis will go o- for again same with Howard the catcher spot might get lucky and get one hit… there’s a possibility d young will strike out more than once on three straight pitches… classic Phillies baseball I think